


Resist

by marqued



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Blow Jobs, Bottom Hux, Choking, Come Swallowing, Dominant Kylo Ren, Eventual Smut, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Injury, Kylux - Freeform, Light Bondage, M/M, Masturbation, Mind Games, Mutual Pining, Power Bottom Hux, Rivalry, Romance, Sexual Fantasy, Slow Build, Slow Burn, the Force triggers sexy visions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-05-14 09:14:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5737987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marqued/pseuds/marqued
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo Ren learns that Hux is trying to keep a lock on unprofessional thoughts. He decides to act on it, with unintended consequences as Hux resists him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Might Be Something More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "General Hux’s steel eyes remained steady as he resisted raising his voice. Pushing Kylo felt like standing too close to the flames before a blinding inferno, and he was starting to think he liked the heat against his skin.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may be some slight movie spoilers as the story goes on. :) Following chapters will be longer. Thank you White_Rainbow for encouraging me to work on my first fic.

The two men were a turbulent pair, chained at the wrist by the First Order. 

They had picked an isolated hall to reflect on Snoke’s latest command, but their conversation took a wrong turn (again) and devolved into an altercation (again). Kylo Ren’s dark helmet normally cloaked his dangerous current of emotions, but his voice wavered slightly in their current fight. General Hux’s steel eyes remained steady as he resisted raising his voice. Pushing Kylo felt like standing too close to the flames before a blinding inferno, and he was starting to think he liked the heat against his skin.

“Sometimes I think you enjoy pushing me,” Kylo spat at him. 

Hux wanted to curse at himself for letting that fleeting thought flit through his head. He had forgotten the damned man could read minds. He’d made a practice of quieting his thoughts around the Force user. It was an edge that Kylo had over him, and he wasn’t about to let him take advantage of it. 

Kylo, mercifully, didn’t seem to have noticed. He turned to pace as he ranted at the general, his robes rustling back and forth, one hand dangerously close to his lightsaber hilt.

Hux pinched the bridge of his nose and let out an impatient sound.  “Ren..”

Kylo’s voice cooled and his hands dropped to his side, palms opened upward in a feigned gesture of surrender. “My apologies. Am I wasting your time, General Hux?”

Hux stared into the dark visor. It was always difficult to gauge how the other man would react.  “I think we both have too much riding on our next operation to let our differences add unnecessary obstacles.” 

That seemed to relax Kylo. “Wisely said, Hux.” 

Hux breathed out as Kylo walked away, not realizing he’d been holding his breath. He shook his head slightly as he walked away, his sharp footsteps calming his rapid heartbeat. Of all the men on this station.. why did his thoughts keep drifting back to the one he wanted permission to throttle?

\----

Kylo, in turn, waited until he’d rounded the corner to reflect on what he had seen. Reading minds was a passive exercise, and a draining one at that. The general normally had a cascade of military drills and analytical data weaving through his brilliant mind; Hux was capable, but his thoughts were excruciatingly routine. Kylo normally behaved, and barely brushed the conventional ripples of the other man’s mind.

Their fights were different. 

They sparred with their respected grasps of power, and it was addictive. Raging heat tempered by an unmoving fortress. Kylo happily exploited his training as he toyed with Hux’s resolve, looking for those cracks in the fortress wall, while the general knew how to disarm him with a carefully-timed insult that brushed away the embers. 

The man had been particularly resilient lately, and Kylo had to know _ why _ . He’d prodded, but just a little. He’d found an opening, even though Hux had quickly slammed that mental gate shut.

He licked his lips absentmindedly. It might have been a simple deviant thought. It didn’t have to  _ mean _ anything. And Kylo certainly enjoyed their fights, as they fueled a side of him that made him feel alive. 

But he hadn’t considered.. it might be something more.


	2. Collecting the Fragments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren's careful strategy has slowly broken through Hux's mental defenses over the past few weeks. But all the digging may have it's consequences..
> 
> "A flash of ice as Hux’s fists tighten behind his back in agitation. It was a fragment of abrupt fear, paired with the thrill of imagining how unrestrained Kylo would be behind closed doors."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In TFA, I loved seeing Kylo using his mind control to draw what he needed out of people. There's not a doubt in my mind that he wouldn't use his powers for selfish purposes.. no matter how long it took.. 
> 
> Thank you again to White_Rainbow for the support and fangirling. :)

Kylo Ren and General Hux had a substantial amount on their plate the past few weeks, and they managed their differences with their inherent dependence on each other. Kylo provided a keen edge to Hux’s special assignments, and Hux provided the resources he needed.

Not that they had been _completely_ cordial. Kylo still shamelessly wore his feelings on his sleeve, and Hux still hid his own behind a sneer of disdain.

Their squabbles were familiar, and even their subordinates had learned to work around them; individually, Kylo and Hux were terrifying to report to. Together, they had a way of defusing each other, much to the appreciation of the equipment and staff around them.

Through their strained moments, Kylo was able to collect the trace fragments he needed to piece together his strategy.

The first piece, he found in a seemingly meaningless argument that had been cut off with a barbed insult swung by Hux and a sarcastic parry returned by Kylo.

_Something lost behind Hux’s steel eyes and angry shouting. It was a fragment of endearment, tangled in Hux’s frustration as he breaks the Force user’s dissent. General Hux is quietly fond of the disruption Kylo provides from political tedium._

A larger piece was gathered when the general walked in on him when he was raging burning lightsaber strikes against a defenseless, sparking console.

_A flash of ice as Hux’s fists tighten behind his back in agitation. It was a fragment of abrupt fear, paired with the thrill of imagining how unrestrained Kylo would be behind closed doors._

That one was new for Kylo, and he almost dropped his lightsaber in surprise at spying Hux flirting with a thought so unprofessional.

Kylo paced absentmindedly, trapped in the voyeuristic mess. The next few pieces rocked between warmth, rage, belonging, regret, hate, lust, and _need_. Hux’s mind slowly betrayed the cacophony of emotions that boiled inside of his infuriatingly guarded persona.

Kylo wasn’t sure if he had to woo the man, or discard tact entirely and bend him over a table.

The challenge ignited something in Kylo, something that clawed inside his chest and begged for release. That same feeling was absolutely buried deep within the tightly-wound general, and Kylo’s patience was running thin despite the waning resistance lately. He wanted to rip it out and bring him to his knees.

But Kylo also wanted to draw compliance from him, and not just a quick fuck. General Hux was wearing an invisible mask that he knew would shatter in his fingertips if his impatience took a wrong turn.

Kylo didn’t want to break the mask Hux wore, but he needed to pry it off if this was going anywhere.

\---

Kylo Ren marched away from several cleaved-up, smoldering tables in the north galley. A handful of terrified recruits eagerly pointed the way to the Hux’s recent work station, so they could return to breakfast without having to clean up blood for answering a moment too slow.

General Hux wasn’t actively hiding; it was known that he enjoyed working in a handful of isolated work areas when time permitted. His power struggle with Kylo was wearing on him. It would be so much easier if he had a helmet as well, he mused. Keeping up his unruffled appearance had it’s side effects, and withdrawing to recuperate was one of them.

He’d stayed there overnight, having had fallen asleep at the table he’d been tirelessly working on. He didn’t feel rushed to tidy up and return to his main duty station; the well-oiled machine that was Starkiller base wouldn’t miss him for a few more hours. When something important came up, a Stormtrooper was usually moments away from reporting the situation to him.

His hair was slightly tousled, and his tunic was unbuttoned. He wasn’t expecting any visitors. Even his pristine jacket had been tossed haphazardly over a chair.

Kylo walked in to find him was surrounded by datapads, his mouth moving wordlessly as he re-read mission reports. He took a moment to appreciate the general’s disheveled appearance before drawing closer. Hux recognized the footsteps of the jedi killer, but he was in no mood for another “discussion” now that he’d finally found a chance to relax.

There was a moment of stillness with Kylo’s standard prolonged staring. Hux ignored him, until a soft _clink_ on his work table interrupted his thoughts.

Hux looked up over a flickering screen, half expecting to see a thermal detonator blinking in front of him. Instead, he was thoroughly flabbergasted to see a small kettle with a glass set cleanly on a chrome serving platter.

There was a slight tension in the air. Hux wrestled with his thoughts as he tried to determine what game Kylo was playing this time. A brusque jest? Poison?

Kylo’s tone was almost _pleasant_. “Don’t overwork yourself, General Hux. You’ve been in here for twenty hours. People are talking, but Phasma and I felt you’d earned a retreat.”

Hux’s brow furrowed. “I’ve only been in here for-” he paused, catching a moment to leaf through his datapad and confirmed the time lapse. _Was Kylo Ren.. checking up on him?_

“The gesture is.. unwarranted, Ren,” Hux finally spoke, surprised. “But thank you.”

Kylo smiled behind his mask as he collected another fragment. He’d made the right choice. Hux was actually pleased, but didn’t want to show it.

“It’s of no concern,” Kylo lied. He saw the slight disappointment that clouded Hux’s mind and delighted in it. “An officer was bringing it over for you. I saw them outside the door and took it off their hands. I was curious to confirm the state you were in. Phasma would like you to check in before the end of the day.”

_Hux pictured Kylo wrapping a gloved hand around his neck as he used the other to-_

Kylo sighed as Hux’s thought dissolved into the infrastructure assessment and troop delegation reports on the table.

“I’ll be finished with these soon.” Hux said, stiffening in his chair, lips tight as he returned to his datapads. “If there’s nothing else..?”

“It’s no fun when you’re hidden away. I start to miss you.” Kylo turned to exit, missing the man staring blankly at him as he left. Hux waited a few minutes to lean back in his chair and massage his temples.

 _I’m reading too much into this,_ he thought. _He’s just fucking with me._

Hux reached forward to pour himself a cup of tea, deciding not to let the unexpected gesture go to waste. The tension Kylo carried into the room disappeared with him and he started to feel safe to unwind again.

He lifted the cup to his lips and froze at the first sip. It wasn’t the normal galley stock; it was his favorite, a specific blend of infused spices he hadn’t tasted since joining the First Order. He closed his eyes and savored the rare treat. The warmth and smell brought him back home, to a time before the Resistance pushed him on this path, and Hux’s tight features relaxed into a tired smile.

“Ren.. Kylo..” he murmured, removing himself from the moment to focus on what had just transpired. “Why is he..?”

On any other planet, in any other system, he’d take it as a friendly gesture; one settling an argument or enriching a friendship. With Kylo.. the man was taunting him. Hux had never told anyone what his preferences were; it was an unnecessary character amendment that had no place in his duties.

Hux thought about the last few weeks, the ups and the downs, and felt himself getting flushed. The rising heat in his face made him rise from his chair. Kylo had been more calculated than usual, and the general wasn’t slow. Piece by piece, Hux was figuring out what was going on, but didn’t know where to go from here.

 _Shit._ He cursed to himself. _He’s been digging in my head._ _How much does he know?_

\----

Kylo retreated to his quarters for the night. He removed his helmet with a soft _hsss_ and placed it on his bed. He brushed his damp hair back and his eyes flashed with concern; it had been a long day, and it bothered him that he still hadn’t seen General Hux since he checked on him earlier.

He’d been pushing the man too hard. He was used to using his powers (using the Force was as easy as breathing), but he forgot that the recipients of his talents were left depleted. A useful tactic for interrogation subjects, but not as helpful when accidentally draining someone that managed the forces of a sleepless battle station.

No wonder Hux’s thoughts had been easy to perceive recently; the man’s mental defenses weren’t the only thing shutting down. Kylo would have to back off this next week if he didn’t want the general passing out in public. He shrugged to himself. He had most of the information he needed, and Hux wasn’t going anywhere..

The telltale beeping of an override code sounded from outside his chambers. Kylo stood up and spun around, and his hand instinctively fell to his lightsaber hilt. He let out a long sigh when he saw who was storming in.

He didn’t need to read any minds to see that Hux was seething with a stifled rage that had built up over the past few hours. He was also acutely aware that the general had never been in his private chambers before.. and certainly not incensed the way he was right now.

“What did you _do_ to me?” Hux spat as he rushed in, moving in to throw a punch.

Kylo smirked as he dodged the man easily and pushed him against the wall. They locked eyes as Kylo held the struggling general in place. His eyes darkened as he licked his lips.

It looked like he wasn’t going to have to wait for Hux to make a move after all.


	3. Plucking a Chord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren makes a move as General Hux's feelings are laid bare.. but they're not ready to take it to the next stage if Ren doesn't repair some of the damage he's done.
> 
> "His mind reeled as he gave a sharp exhale; Kylo’s hot touch felt like downing a shot of Durindfire."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also non-movie spoilery. 
> 
> Thank you for the support! I can't express how much it helps. :) Thank you again to White Rainbow, my fic partner in crime, for giving me a second opinion and ideas on the direction I want to take the pair.

General Hux was cornered, pinned against a column a few feet away from the bed in Kylo’s private chambers. He grew increasingly aware that he was being held back by a man who currently had both a mental and physical edge on him. Hux didn’t drop eye contact even with one arm pressed against his chest, one leather-gloved hand wrapped possessively around his throat. The more Hux struggled, the tighter the hand clenched, stifling his breathing.

He hated the secret, dizzying thrill of being held forcefully by Kylo.

Kylo Ren, in turn, kept a calm expression as he soaked in the sight of a disheveled Hux at the end of his rope and wondered what it would take to get the clothes off the well-built general and onto his floor.  

“What. Did. You. _Do_?” Hux repeated firmly as he emphasized every word through bared teeth. He’d had the entire day to dissect the dissonance that had grown the past weeks. He’d tried sleeping it off in the beginning. When that didn’t work, he’d tried working more, then working less. He’d delegated more to his immediate officers. The noise piqued around Kylo, but he thought that was standard given their atypical working relationship.

What he hadn’t tried was staying _away_ from Kylo. The noise in his mind, now piercing loudly enough to make him light-headed, had provided more than enough clues to whom his trespasser had been.

Kylo realized that the fragments he’d collected had left some trace damage, magnified by Hux’s intense work schedule. It could be repaired, but the harder Hux fought, the worse it would get.

He’d been irresponsible. He’d have to make up for it.

“I may have overstepped,” Kylo said, understating the depth of his violation as he absentmindedly trailed a thumb against Hux’s jawline. His tone dropped a little deeper, a little darker. “I got curious, but I saw enough to justify why I had to look. An intervention was overdue; your neglect is impairing you.”

In all honestly, he thought General Hux needed to start thanking him for his trouble.

Kylo’s thumb traveled up to the bottom of Hux’s lip, and he drew those stubborn lips open every so slightly. A shiver traveled down the general’s spine at the cool touch against his warm skin. Kylo tilted his head, gauging Hux’s reaction. The man was still stubborn, as expected.

“I’m not neglecting anything.”

Kylo silenced Hux’s lie with a violent kiss; Hux startled as he tasted blood drawn from an intense bite on his lower lip, but welcomed the tongue that wrestled into his mouth after. Instead of angrily breaking the kiss, as Kylo expected, Hux closed his eyes and met him with his own tongue, deepening it with an unbridled need. The room was quiet except for the soft and hungry grunts from each man indulging in the other’s mouth for the first time.

Kylo broke away, and Hux surrendered a small sound of protest from the back of his throat. He gave the general a cavalier smirk. “Then what was that?” he breathed as he took advantage of the moment to draw his teeth against Hux’s neck.

His mind reeled as he gave a sharp exhale; Kylo’s hot touch felt like downing a shot of Durindfire. Any words of protest fled his mind. For the first time in his life, Hux was rendered speechless.

Kylo softened his kissing and gave the man a moment to collect himself. “Why do you work so hard to deny even simple pleasures? We have a certain chemistry. Don’t tell me you consider sex a.. triviality,” he probed, genuinely curious why they had waited so long for this moment.

Hux broke eye contact for a moment before answering. “I have a duty to Starkiller. Anything I _want_ can wait for later,” he admitted, but his tone sounded unconvincing even to himself.

Kylo laughed. The man was so simple, so.. obedient to the First Order to a masochistic extent. Hux has shelved away pieces of his individuality for even minor luxuries (such as a simple requisition for sapir tea). It made him what he was, but the force user was ready to peel apart the layers to get what they both needed.

“You know that I can take what I want at any time. And from what I’ve seen in your head, the depth of degrading things you’re willing to do in the right conditions..” Hux’s breath hitched at Kylo’s candidness as the man casually revealed the thoughts he’d bottled up. “I saw it. Your shame. If you want to see how far I can push you, to break you no matter how you resist, all you have to do is ask me.”

“How dare-” Hux cursed inwardly as he felt his pants tighten, his erection hardened at the hunger in Kylo’s words.

Kylo saw what had happened, and drew the back of his hand down Hux’s face, sweeping against his quivering body, and hovered a few millimeters from the general’s hard bulge. Hux let out a soft groan in protest at the teasing.

_Hux wanted him to touch it, to grab it, to pull it out and-_

Kylo tilted his head, playful but cruel. “I’m not going to let you have _any_ of it until you’re begging me to break you. And only then, if I feel like you’ve done enough to earn it.”

“I’ll never beg,” Hux contended, his expression sharp and defiant.

Kylo just smiled cruelly and released his grip with a confident push. “I can’t wait until you’re swallowing more than just your words.”

Hux, thoroughly flustered at how forward and arrogant and downright _insidious_ Kylo was, walked backward to retreat. He was furious at the mistake he made in coming here.

“Are you really leaving, in this condition?” Kylo started to close the gap between them, causing the general to take a misstep as he staggered against the bed. Hux landed with a soft thud next to Ren’s helmet and his fingers curled into the bedsheets. He wanted to push himself back up, to get _out_ , but his body was drained as the dissonance returned, stronger with every step Kylo took towards him.

“Ren,” he breathed. He found himself paralyzed despite his adrenaline rush and stared confusedly at Kylo. He was barely able to keep himself upright as the man  followed him onto the bed, calculated and predative. Kylo crawled on top of him until their hips pressed firmly together, and Hux shifted with denial when he felt Kylo’s erection through his thin robes. His stomach lurched as a sense of dread washed over him; he saw the dangerous look in Kylo’s hooded eyes. Hux’s body tensed, his voice croaked with a sound of distress.

“ _Ren, don’t-_ ”

“Not like this,” Kylo assured him. He didn’t have to guess where the man’s thoughts had drifted. He wasn’t going to take him, not like this. As much as he wanted to, and as easily it would have been to make him forget later...

_He wants Hux to choose. He needs Hux to choose him._

“Do you trust me?” Kylo asked, reaching over to move his helmet off the bed.

“Do I  _look_ like I trust you?”

Kylo laughed at his aghast tone. He drew off his gloves and tossed them over the side of his bed. “General Hux, I can repair what I did,” he explained.

There was a touch of concern in Kylo’s voice, and Hux immediately knew it wasn’t going to be pleasant. “You were in my head for _weeks_. I am not even _close_ to letting you back in.”

Kylo silently leaned forward and brought one hand to the general’s forehead, then placed the other firmly to the back of Hux’s neck to brace him for what was coming.

Hux knew his answer when he felt a large amount of energy radiate from the force user. He arched his back violently and bucked his hips against Kylo as a wave of nausea slammed into him like a speeder bike. The volume of the dissonance rose too quickly, and his head boiled as Kylo poured dark force energy into him. He closed his eyes as tears streamed down his cheeks. He stifled a shout as the pain started to layer within itself, scraping inside his head like carving knives.

He writhed, desperate to escape, but couldn’t move far under Kylo’s pressure. The man went through his head, and broke apart the spots he had twisted in his prodding so he could repair them the right way.

_If I don’t fix this now, his suffering will drag him through hell the entire week._

Kylo’s chest heaved under his robes as his tended to the damage. He was so used to breaking people apart, he had forgotten how to stitch them back together. His nose bled as he worked hastily and struggled through Hux’s fear and resistance.

“Stop fighting me,” Kylo’s voice hardened as the man’s screams grew louder. “Look for the thread.” Hux didn’t think he could take any more, but hearing Kylo brought him through a wave of agony. Through the bleeding in his mind, he saw a string of light and reached for it.

It was like plucking a chord, and the blinding pain was pinched. He jolted again, violently, as Kylo withdrew the force, and immediately passed out.

\-----

General Hux woke up in Kylo’s bed, alone. Instead of the grogginess he was used to greeting in the morning, he felt good. Clear. He sat up in surprise, tested his limbs and flushed slightly at the minor bruises he found.

_Kylo._

The memory of last night poured in, and he turned his head around the room to look for the man. Nothing. He moved to peel the thin bedsheets off of him, and realized that Kylo had tucked him in.

He cradled his head in his hands for a moment as he wondered what he was going to say to Ren. Hux didn’t have an answer, but his responsible side got him out of bed without the need to wallow in too much self-reflection at his circumstances. He prompted himself with some tasks, and removed his clothes to take a shower. He was damned if he was going to be caught walking around Starkiller base, smelling like.. him.

Hux stopped as he passed the mirror in Kylo’s refresher and quietly examined the bite marks on his neck. He traced his fingers over them, relived the memory of Kylo engulfing him, and realized that the man hadn’t been thoughtless. All the marks could be hidden by his uniform’s collar.

The shower was quick and cold, and he appreciated how still his mind was despite the pain of last night’s purge. His fist tightened.

He filed away a mental note to kick Kylo’s ass later.

On the dresser, laid out for Hux, was a set of freshly laundered clothing. It took a few more moments to find breakfast tucked away in a dining nook. He sighed at the platter Kylo had left prepared; the meal was a collection of his favorites from the galley. The force user couldn’t take back what he’d done, but Hux had to admit that the man put effort into this.. apology. He took some bites and started a cup of caf to make him feel human again.

He caught a glint tucked behind the serving platter, moved in to take a curious look, and he almost choked on his drink.

Behind the platter was a pair of handcuffs in Hux’s favorite color.

Fury rose back up his spine as he threw them across the room.

_Arrogant bastard._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I am a sucker for slow build, especially with the dynamic these two have.


	4. Stalling the Machine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fuel had been poured on the embers, and Hux had burned with a terrifying appetite that pleaded to be dominated and satiated."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thanks for your patience! This chapter is a bit beefy! :) There's a reward for patience at the end, haha. XD HUGE thank you to White_Rainbow for helping me through this one. Go check out her Kylux fix, with Hux as the dom!

General Hux reappeared to his command staff with little fanfare. He felt renewed, if not uncertain, that his competence had been compromised by what had kindled between him and Kylo.

No, not kindled. _Ignited._

Fuel had been poured on the embers, and Hux had burned with a terrifying appetite that pleaded to be dominated and satiated. His tongue brushed over his lips. He knew he was playing with fire.

He surrendered an uneasy sigh as the round-the-clock machinations of the _Finalizer_ needed his undivided attention; his expert pulse on its inner workings, his cold and calculating leadership, and his dream of seeing the First Order crush the Resistance were his paramount concerns. The following days provided only a few chance meetings with Kylo, and they fell back into the tense but familiar routine of settling public arguments with insults and a thinly-veiled power struggle. Kylo made no mention of that night, and Hux occupied himself with some delicate operations that would lay the final foundations for _Starkiller’s_ galactic awakening.

As he settled back into his exhausting routine, he tried to convince himself that everything else could wait. That Kylo could wait.

This was his domain, but within its dark corridors he knew it was a matter of time before Kylo stalled his machine and tested Hux’s discipline.

\----

Kylo Ren also found himself coping with his impulses; his training didn’t equip him for this kind of restraint. The torture to keep what he knew they both wanted hidden behind the artificial boundary of a private room. To permit Hux his private thoughts, despite his curiosity at what was in the man’s head after his insidious Force purge. To break away from the urges that pleaded, with every fiber of his body, to simply savage and _take_ Hux.

It was a few hours into an afternoon when the the peace was broken. Phasma waltzed in - shiny, decisive, candid - and asked Hux to “check” in on Kylo out of concern for her men.

“He’s having an outburst,” dismissed Hux as he shook his head at both Kylo and the unpleasant results displayed on a datapad in front of him. “I’m not joining the betting pool this time. He’ll wrap it up.”

“General, if I may explain...” Phasma remained factual. “This is actually his _third_  outburst today. I would offer a heavier hand, but I wanted to consult with you first.”

A sigh. “How close is he?”

She sounded grateful. “My staff will escort you.”

His eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t betray his reserve snapping like a twig as he followed Phasma’s Stormtroopers.

The general treaded quickly but carefully and followed the breadcrumbs of Kylo’s lackadaisical carnage. He passed two heavily injured, lifeless Stormtroopers being hauled away by medical staff; ribbons of smeared blood trailed their gurneys. He felt a twinge of regret at losing instruments from his pet program, but recruits would be programmed and delegated to fill in their assignments.

He soon heard the tell-tale crackle of Kylo’s unstable crossguard blade and ran in to find the Force user menacingly approaching one of Hux’s more immediate subordinates, a straight-laced if not brilliant man he’d personally selected from the Academy for special operations. Hux acted on pure instinct, his indecision on dealing tactfully with Kylo gone as he grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, careful to avoid the lightsaber, and stared back at his murderous reflection in the the man’s dark visor.

“Everyone, LEAVE us.”

The lucky officer yelped and fled. After some more panicked shuffling around them, the two men were left to their themselves.

Hux proceeded to release a cascade of icy insults as Kylo riled up, furious at the unexpected confrontation. Both men breathed heavily, enveloped in the lightsaber’s pulsating crimson light. Hux waited for Kylo to finish his flourish with a glare. He didn't have time to be intimidated, even if the damned lightsaber was precariously unsafe to be around.

“Ren! I am your commanding officer, and this station is _not_ your shiny bauble to destroy between Supreme Leader Snoke’s training and my assignments!” Hux gave him a cold, inhuman stare, daring Kylo to try to push him. No matter what hold Kylo had on him in private, the general wasn’t rendered a simpering paramour.

Kylo was stunned. He hissed a curse in defiance, but deactivated the blade.

Hux, uncompromising, dropped his voice to a sinister tone. “We have no time for this! If the precious hours on this precious day are wasted on another meltdown of yours...” He wordlessly addressed the the blood-splattered room with a mock-grandiose gesture. “You will have plenty of time to funnel this rage into our work. Soon.”

“You have a mission?”

“One that requires your _unique_ brand of attention.”

Relief touched Kylo as they returned comfortably to their dynamic. Fire and ice. This was why he had chosen this man. Despite his uncertainties, Hux had no fear in standing up and pulling rank. Kylo was his asset. One he happened to value highly, despite the... complications recently.

Hux could bend. He wouldn’t break. Even as he wore the band of beautiful bruises on that pale neck, hidden away under a stiff collar.

“What's this mission?” Kylo asked inquisitively.

“Not here,” Hux glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice, warningly. “In my room. Later.”

Kylo’s interest piqued.

“To _talk_ ,” Hux sighed impatiently.

\----

Kylo had never been in the general’s private chambers before. He moved ceremoniously into the quarters, like he was boarding a new command vessel. The abode was spartan but imposing, like the general. Kylo’s movements were smooth and he scanned the room behind his mask until he caught a whiff of liquor through his helmet filters.

“Good evening, Ren,” Hux said guardedly, drink in hand.

“Good evening, General Hux,” said Kylo, maintaining decorum as he waited for the general to set the tone for the evening. “You had something to discuss...”

“In a moment.” Hux straightened slightly at Kylo’s approach, but his modest inebriation brought him back down. He leaned against the wall, half dressed in his sleeveless uniform undershirt and slate pants. The outline of his body was accentuated in the tightly-fit clothing.

Kylo waited patiently as Hux swallowed and shuddered with familiar pleasure at the drink’s burn. “Do you want to remove your helmet?” Hux asked him finally.

Kylo tilted his head up. They’d already crossed that threshold, but to do it in Hux’s room, at his invitation, was refreshingly intimate. At the same time... Kylo used the helmet as a safeguard.

“In a moment,” Kylo said, echoing Hux’s words. He didn’t want to show his cards so soon, that he was hungry for... pretty much anything at this point, anything that involved any surface the general was willing to use. Kylo accidentally glanced at Hux’s standard-issue bed in a far corner, softly illuminated by the warm, amber glow of a bedside light that drew his attention to its inviting sheets.

Hux caught where he was looking and sighed. “I invited you to talk, Ren. Without any crass commentary or disarming innuendo, and act like the working professionals we are.”

“You’re inhuman,” Kylo said behind the visor.

“Are you making a joke?”

“I’m equipped with a sense of humor, General Hux.” His voice was smooth, despite his voice modulator. “I’ll remove it.”

Hux watched with curiosity as a hidden mechanism whispered a soft _click_ and _hsss_. The helmet unsealed, and Kylo’s brown curls spilled out. His dark eyes meet Hux’s clear blue eyes, but instead of looking pleased the general grew suddenly serious. He worked to collect his words in the arrangement he wanted to say them.

“You’re not still affected by... by my intervention?” Kylo carefully ventured, wondering if he’d left any lingering damage.

“You really haven’t been reading my mind? Since.” He didn’t have to say when.

“I’ve been actively struggling not to,” Kylo confessed. “Drowning myself in the thoughts of others has proven to be necessary distraction, given how I feel about the absence of your presence in my mind. It’s different.”

“How you feel?”

“I miss it. I don’t like the uncertainty.”

Hux’s heart ached for a moment, but he wasn’t sure why. _It wasn’t a confession,_ he warned himself. _This is a man admitting he preferred playing voyeur to your innermost thoughts._

“The reason I invited you here is in the datapad notes, on the table,” Hux said, switching topics. He motioned for them both to sit.

There conversation thread in the datapad was not a conversation between officer and subordinate, but familiar, phrases between two lovers, and it showed Hux had sent lurid messages back-and-forth with a partner for several weeks. The text, as Kylo read, gave details to promises of future liaisons and favored sexual positions. Kylo bristled with annoyance as his eyes blurred from what irrationally felt like an act of betrayal. He didn’t want to learn that Hux was tied to a woman, not in this way, not with the general staring back at him impatiently over his drink.

 _A lover?_ Hux’s thoughts had been sparse on this if it was true. “Why are you sharing your... suggestive fiction with me.”

“It’s not- They’re coded phrases, Ren. The language disguises hidden messages,” Hux explained in a matter-of-fact tone, cringing at the thought that he’d actually talk like that to a romantic interest. “Hackers would only see a sincere conversation between two separated lovers; my immediate risk is being the target of unabridged gossip. My spy never trusted normal encryption, and I couldn’t fight the benefits of it when her information proved invaluable. I needed the Resistance coordinates, the sensitive data archives, and the reconnaissance reports she provided.”

“Who knows about this woman?”

“She reports only to me. It’s a dramatic precaution, but I’ve come to appreciate it after we lost another particularly valuable asset.”

“Is that what I am to you? A ‘valuable asset?’”

“I... Ren, you’re a _colleague_.” Hux doesn’t know why he reassured the man, but he wanted him to understand that he was different. “My spy is an extraordinarily expensive professional. It’s been a gamble. I allocated a sizable portion of my budget, one that could kill my reputation if she came up empty-handed.”

“You’re not one to take unnecessary risks, General Hux.”

Hux agreed. “She convinced me that the Resistance’s meddling would be our benediction. So I listened, and offered her a bonus for additional intelligence. And, as I’ve just discovered from that report...”

Realization flashed in Kylo’s eyes. Hux was stalling for a reason. “The information has to do with _me_.”

Hux watched Kylo guardedly as he continued. “She discovered the location of a map cluster that can lead to a missing Resistance asset. And she knows where and when this information will fall into Resistance hands. Primed for you to take.”

“Has the Supreme Leader been notified?”

“Special Operations is confirming the information tonight before we deliver it to him tomorrow. Together.”

“Ah. And then... who is this valuable Resistance asset that you tracked down?” Kylo kept his feelings guarded and hoped the next words out of the man’s mouth weren’t of his lineage.

“Luke Skywalker.”

_So much for that._

Kylo’s raw fury rose and flooded into his quarters like a tempest. Hux leaned back in his chair, drink clutched firmly in his hand, as he braced himself for the onslaught. Hux’s room lurched, and he watched with morbid anticipation. His chest tightened; the crushing pressure of Kylo’s untapped power made it hard to swallow, hard to breathe.

The wrath’s chaos swung into an upsurge, and the room shuddered violently by the spikes of dark Force energy. The lights in his ceiling swing chaotically and then imploded with a loud _pop,_ one by one.

The room was thrust into near darkness, barring the soft glow of emergency lighting embedded in the wall edging.

Hux stopped taking mental inventory of the items he’d have to replace the next day when the glass in his hand shattered. He squeezed down in surprise, and gave an angry curse as the razor-sharp shards dug deep into his palm, the liquor stinging his wound with a pulsing burn. He squeezed the other hand over it, trying to stop the bleeding.

And as quickly as the room had fallen to Kylo’s thrall, the anger subsided. He blinked heavily and drew his hands down in an abrupt gesture, pulling himself out of the emotional entropy. He staggered slightly at the Force’s retreat, but collected himself to check on Hux’s reaction; to see him yell, to kick him out, to make him apologize.

Hux just stood calmly, despite the alarming amount of blood that soaked his white shirt and dripped down his arms. The wound in his hand was the deepest, and his shirt showed several lacerations from the waves.

“Don’t look so troubled,” Hux mused with a soft, contemplative chuckle. He broke into a quiet grin at Kylo’s expression. “That actually went better than I expected, Ren.”

 _Oh, by all the…_ Kylo watched the slur in Hux’s movements.  _I didn’t see that he’d had enough to get tipsy._

Kylo marched over to examine the injury, admonished. He misplaced the blame of the given situation again. “Idiot!” Hux watched as Kylo ripped fabric from his robe to bandage the wound. The top layer of the dark robes fell to the ground. The man wrenched Hux’s injured hand, pressing tight until the bleeding stopped. With angry movements, he twisted the cloth around, hands shaking slightly with every layer he added until he finished the temporary compression.

“Do you have any bacta bandages?”

“There’s an emergency kit,” Hux nodded. “Refresher.”

Kylo took immediate stock of the room. There wasn’t much, not enough to completely dress the wounds. They stood inside the confined space, unmoving, for a brief moment.

“You _knew_ I’d erupt. You were waiting for it.” It wasn’t a question or accusation, but Hux’s gaze was judicious at his words. Kylo leaned the general against the wall and took a moment to scrutinize his handiwork. “ _Anyone_ could have relayed that information. Why did you do it?”

“To test your restraint.”

Kylo relaxed his grip and looked up, imploring Hux to clarify.

Hux didn’t know exactly how to explain it. “I don’t like the image of you treading lightly, skulking about the ship without knowing...”

“Without knowing if I’d err on my word.” Hux nodded back at him. Kylo frowned, annoyed at his concern. “On making a move without your permission.”

Hux was the only target in the room. Without the measure of civility they had between them... what would Kylo have done in his blind rage, if he hadn’t been able to control his restraint? The dark apprentice didn’t know. He clutched the bottom of Hux’s ruined shirt and looked back at him.

“Forgive my seeming lack of gratitude, General Hux. I’m not upset.”

Skywalker. His old master. One of the pieces he had failed to crush. And Hux had brought this information to him. _Personally._ Invested First Order resources he couldn’t afford to spare. _For him._

“I’m not going to read your mind, so you’re going to have to answer my questions. What do you need right now?”

A pause. “To get out of these bloody clothes.”

“I can help you with that.”

“To _clean up,_ Ren. There’s a shower in here, and I feel vulgar caked in dried blood.”

 _Vulgar._ He worked Hux out of the lacerated shirt and disagreed with the man’s assertion as he savored the blood-spattered, exposed skin.

The general struggled with his arms as it pulled over his head, but he relaxed, his cheeks warm with at Kylo’s insistence of helping him. “Thank you, Ren,” he said faintly... Kylo then, with a slight hesitation, knelt down to unsnap the buttons on Hux’s uniform pants. Hux winced and brought his hands down to stop Kylo.

“You’re not seriously planning to crawl into the shower with these on-”

Kylo suddenly understood why Hux still shook his head, reluctant. The man’s pants had tightened with a growing erection. His face flushed, embarrassed at how easily his lower body reacted to Kylo. “ _Ren_...” he felt himself pinned to the wall at Kylo’s reaction to the sight. It was a subtle application of the Force, holding the half-dressed man in place with a throbbing cock inches from Kylo’s eager face.

“You brought me a gift, Hux. Am I not allowed to thank you?” Inch by inch, Kylo tugged Hux’s pants down, lightly contending the the man’s protests. “Let me make you feel better, General Hux. When was the last time anyone sucked the cum out of you?”

“ _How_ am I supposed to remember that... _now_...” Hux gave a frustrated gasp as his body ached with need.

Hux’s erection was barely contained under the band of his underwear, and the unmistakeable wetness of precum on the fabric made Kylo utter an involuntary guttural sound. He leaned forward, letting his hot breath and mouth gently rest over the bulge. “Ask me to suck you off, General Hux.”

“If you stop calling me ‘General’ in my own quarters,” Hux said, voice hitched with hungry breathing. He watched a roguish twitch in Kylo’s expression.

“ _Hux,_ ” Kylo groaned softly as he pulled the band over the head of Hux’s cock, exposing it for his greedy eyes. The general gasped as Kylo swirled a wet tongue over the head and indulged in the sweet precum before he stopped to tease the slit with a flick of his tongue. Hux’s hips bucked, eyes closed tight as he savored every second of it.

Kylo, encouraged by Hux’s satisfied sounds, yanked the underclothes to Hux’s ankles, releasing the splendid sight of the general’s naked body and wonderfully large cock with a well-earned thrill. He dug his fingers hard into Hux’s hips, claiming ownership as he drew the man back into his mouth. Kylo pursed his lips into a slight seal and Hux groaned at the sensation as his head pierced the tight opening. Kylo started sucking harder, wetter, deeper, taking Hux’s cock down his throat inch by inch until the general started question where the man got so damn talented at this.

 _Should I thrust?_ Hux wondered. It took all his will not to start fucking Kylo’s obscene mouth.

Kylo felt the man’s need and smiled cruelly. “No,” he whispered at Hux’s unasked question. “You’re just taking it.”

A fleeting memory struck Kylo, one that he’d pulled out from the confines of the general’s deliciously sordid mind weeks ago, and he smiled. It shouldn’t _all_ be pleasure. Hux felt pressure tighten around his throat as Kylo took the initiative to gently choke him. He gasped as his breathing was cut off, the panic edging up his spine as the Force user exploited his edge. But deep from his gut, he let out a long, satisfied moan at the sensation, the trust he was bestowing as his body surrendered, and he dug his hands into Kylo’s hair to show his bliss. Hot tears ran down Hux’s face, but they were of submission, not fear. The guilt, the shame, of letting this man take what he wanted... it was liberating to lose control.

Kylo, motivated as he read Hux’s body language, sucked and choked the general harder, testing the man’s limits. He was _hardy_. Kylo reached to undo the hidden latches to his robe when Hux gurgled some words through the Force-choke. Kylo released the pressure, just slightly.

Hux delivered two impossible words. “Kylo, stop.”

The intrinsic command in his tone and use of his first name stopped him in his tracks. Shocked, he released the man, and the long, hard cock slid out of his mouth with a wet sound. “ _What_?” He hadn’t pried into Hux’s mind, but nothing had come across that he was _dissatisfied_ -

“Stop,” Hux repeated, still naked, now defiant. “You had me under your thumb for  _weeks_. You don’t get rewarded for it.”

“Why are you... is this _punishment_? Let me finish us both off,” Kylo insisted, but saw that Hux was serious.

Hux moved to yank his underclothes back on, and stroked his half-hard cock through the fabric. It was over.

Kylo’s head reeled as he tried to process it, his mouth agape. _Revenge?_ Kylo was furious and enthralled at how sinister his lover was. This was unadulterated cruelty. “Oh, you bastard. You planned this the moment I entered the room...” Kylo’s tone was cold, but it wasn’t accusatory. Kylo loved and hated his worthy opponent; he said the only thing he could think of.

“Well played, Hux. Are we even?”

Hux nodded, and a pained expression passed quietly on his face. _He still wants it._ Kylo’s hunger deepened at the sight. He slowly rose to leave the man to his devices.

“Next time you invite me... know that I won’t stop. _General_ Hux.”

\----

Hux waited until Kylo left to pull his erection back out.

He used the lingering presence of Kylo as he jerked himself off with one hand, quick, fast, desperate. He furrowed his brought in annoyance. Something was missing. Humiliated, he realized what it was and he brought his other hand to his throat. He squeezed tight as he eased into the violent motions, spilling warm cum across the tile floor as he finished with the image of Kylo choking him.

He let out a sad gasp as he hit the aftershocks of coming. His continued with his eyes closed tight in shame as he stroked, slowly, until he coaxed the rest out. He stared down at his mess, feeling empty at the man’s absence.

“Kylo,” he whispered. He’d have to make good on the man’s promise.

But first, they had to deal with Jakku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poe may complicate some things in the next chapter. ;) This is the area where I tie into the movie, just a little bit.
> 
> Kylo also almost has Hux where he wants him. :3 Thank you for reading!


	5. Honing the Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Resistance, despair, anger, hate; those were particularly ambrosial and they happily sang in abundance from the general who currently had his twisted affection captive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all soooo much for your patience, and thank you to White_Rainbow for encouragement and editing. :) Poe Dameron is featured in this chapter, but it's still Kylux all the way.

"So who talks first? Do you talk first? Do I talk first?”

_Sarcasm._

Kylo Ren hadn’t been on Jakku for more than ten minutes.

“It’s hard to tell with all of... this.”

Well, he couldn’t say it wasn’t an interesting response. He immediately ordered the Resistance pilot captured and brought to the _Finalizer_ for interrogation, sparing the cocky man from joining the smouldering corpse piles but condemning him all the same.

Beyond the minor complication with retrieving the map itself, Jakku was handled with exact precision. Fast. Merciless. Zero compassion for the scum that protected the Jedi sympathizer.

The First Order, especially under the hardened and tactical General Hux, held emotions with little regard. Years, no decades, had been invested on programming only the elite, molding these soldiers for battle optimization and unwavering loyalty. Command carefully monitored and snuffed out those in their ranks who broke conformity and resisted their assignments, and even their most promising could be lost as they remembered their humanity.

Kylo always thought it was such a waste.

_A cold sweep of dread. He walks with a chill up his spine._

A rogue thought among the stormtroopers pierced the flames and darkness, standing out from the blur of those following execution orders like cold-blooded automatons. It flitted like a frightened firebug, and Kylo quickly snatched it with his mind and shook it loose until he identified its owner.

FN-2187. A young stormtrooper that Kylo held with mitigated interest. One of Captain Phasma’s lauded recruits, whose team was personally offered as part of his assault on the village.

In other words; one of Hux’s programmed pets. He gazed at the man, curious.

_Captain Phasma wouldn’t give him a second chance. What could he do now? The scraping of his fellow troopers’ boots in the sand. The smell of burning flesh was sticking to the inside of his helmet. He tried not to retch. His HUD was difficult to read through blurry eyes. A smear of his dead friend’s blood still on his helmet. Oh God, Kylo Ren is looking at him. What should he--_

Kylo rubbed his fingertips together, savoring the man’s fear. It was usually enough to feed from the torrent of feelings that thrashed about in an upswell from within his own violent core. Other days, he attentively cultivated them from his victims.

Kylo _starved_ for conflict. He hurt, beyond anything he could explain to a non-Force user.

Simply, he was drawn to those could feed that hunger. FN-2187 was a fleeting taste of what he needed, but not nearly to satisfy his complicated palate.

 _Resistance, despair, anger, hate;_ those were particularly ambrosial and they happily sang in abundance from the general who currently had his twisted affection captive. They burned in the steel-eyed man, tangled with that buried lust. Lust that Kylo had earned, lust he had tasted in the delicious precum on Hux’s hard member as the man struggled to contain his need.

Kylo smiled at the thought of spreading and penetrating those tight, stubborn lips with his own cock. To silence that quick wit and leave the man gagging with each cruel thrust, with the general’s conflicted gaze silently yearning to have his mouth abused.

Kylo pushed the thought aside, silent fury taking over him again. He wasn’t going to let the general sabotage _this_. He’d worked too hard to bring the man to his knees, and he _still_ resisted.

He snapped back to reality, dampened slightly by the lingering bitterness. The energy was already fading as the villagers died one by one amidst bloodcurdling screams. His thoughts had already abandoned the stormtrooper’s fragmented loyalty.

Kylo couldn’t wait to enjoy the trophy that brandished sarcasm in the face of death.

\----

Kylo stared at the unconscious man patiently. Twelve hours with Hux’s lively interrogators, and still fighting. In other circumstances, he would have bought the pilot a drink.

He rolled his neck into a slow stretch, flexed his hands, and finally pulled down a wave of Force energy that hit the man like a bucket of ice water. The pilot’s head snapped up and smacked hard against the head brace. He coughed hoarsely through a series of colorful expletives, taking moment to collect his wits.

_Where is he? Who made him feel like he'd slammed into a Star Destroyer?_

He surrendered a pained smirk in Kylo's direction. “Not exactly what I had in mind for foreplay, buckethead.”

They were alone, unmonitored, and Kylo was just testing the man. The first Force wave had extracted enough through the reverberating screams to connect the pieces on how valuable this pilot was, but Kylo needed to extract that damned map.

Poe Dameron, for all his bravado, was a small voice inside of a cold well of anguish. He tested the chair’s restraints when he thought the dark apprentice wasn’t paying attention, as though he had a chance of escaping. And the pilot _flirted_ with death like it was a game.

It was captivating. And infuriating.

General Hux’s men had tortured the Resistance prisoner quite thoroughly, but Kylo knew that men like him used pain as motivation to keep their secrets locked up nice and tight.

The more Hux’s men had pushed him, the stronger the pilot had pushed back. Kylo started to wonder if stubborn men were just his type.

Hux... they barely made eye contact upon his return from Jakku. Everything had started to move fast, too fast for them to catch another moment alone. To have another discussion in privacy without the confines of ranks… or their clothing. If Kylo was feeling lewd enough, the pilot would have even been a pleasant distraction.

“Trust me, you’re not my type,” Kylo retorted.

He considered it with a smile. Dameron was lean, handsome, and had a surprisingly solid build. A charming candidate for a covert mission, and not one that would break without a touch of artistry. _Hux could afford to use a little more imagination,_ Kylo mused, eyeing the man with a steady gaze.

Every soldier had a weakness, and he tugged cruelly on the predictable ones.

_Family? Son of a Republic hero. Friends? Ah. Not just a pilot, but a special operative. Fear of being abandoned, of dying alone. He risked his greatest fear for his cause._

_No, not good enough._

Inspiration hit. He thought of Hux as he leaned forward to whisper into the pilot’s ear. “We won’t kill you. General Hux’s best scientists will reprogram you.” Reprogramming an untrained adult candidate was usually a wasted exercise, but Resistance intel on the First Order was sparse enough that he had some room to bluff. “Your talent will make you a prime TIE fighter pilot, and propaganda material boasting your recruitment will let every single person you know the depth of your betrayal. They. Will. Loathe. You. They will wish you never existed. You will poison everything your family sacrificed for.”

“Not in your wildest dreams,” Dameron hissed between his teeth, but the words hit him like a punch to the gut. His head jerked away and his eyes were shut tight, but Kylo’s words reverberated in his head and he couldn’t get rid of them. Bile collected in the back of the pilot’s throat. Kylo plucked the strings, watching the pilot struggle so hard his nose started to bleed, until the poor man started to believe his threat. Hot tears streamed down his face.

“And you will _personally_ help lead the First Order to victory even as you scream inside your head for it to stop.”

Dameron coughed up blood as his mental defenses crumbled. Kylo quickly raised a hand and drew upon the Force again, causing the pilot’s face to contort in desperate resistance. Kylo slipped in as Dameron screamed for help that he knew would never come. Waves of agony overwhelmed the pilot as sweat poured down his face, until he couldn’t push back any longer. His psyche started to hemorrhage as Kylo painfully dismantled his last barriers, stripping his private memories bare.

_The loss of his mother. Unexpected. She had taught him everything. A small hand holding his during her funeral._

_An empty bunk where a squad member used to reside. It wasn’t his fault. They didn’t know. He didn’t know. He would fix it._

“Get out.. get out of my head.”

_Growing familiar enough with the Resistance general to call her by her name. She put a lot of faith in him, almost too much. He couldn’t fail her._

Kylo smiled. “After you give me what I want, pilot.”

_A new mission… he wished he had time to tell his friends where he was going. They’d wonder. He’d apologize later._

“Sto-o-”

_His last command to a unique BB-8 unit, still waiting for him to return to Jakku._

There it was.

Dameron wretched again when he realized what Kylo had taken from him. “Oh God,” he whispered. Guilt washed into horror, and he passed out again from the aftershock.

Kylo quickly realized that he had pushed into the man’s mind too fast; his impatience of finding his former master’s location had overridden his caution, and drawing anything else out would be difficult. He was ready to report to Hux, but Kylo chose to pause for a moment.

_A small hand holding his during her funeral._

The pilot’s dark eyes fluttered every few seconds, numb with pain as he suffered through the Force-imbued fever-dream, but within their reflection Kylo saw something... familiar. _Himself._ Kylo dipped into the pilot’s thoughts as he ebbed in an out of consciousness.

_No. It couldn’t be._

Kylo stepped back, letting dark hood fall to his shoulders. He quickly raised his hands to activate his helmet mechanism and dropped it to the floor. Dameron eyes softened in passing recognition, but he spoke too softly for Kylo to understand, even with the helmet off.

He inched forward to hear the pilot’s desperate whisper before Dameron succumbed and passed out completely.

\----

General Hux earned a moment of tranquility after the brief whirlwind of distributing the intel that Kylo had extracted from the pilot. The soft glow of status screens illuminated him, and he suspended himself in the quiet hum of his workstation’s console until his head cleared.

By all measures, he should have filed the day away as a success and retired for the evening. He should have been satisfied with the day’s outcome.

He wasn’t.

Distracted, he turned away from his reports and stood up to gaze mindlessly out the portside viewport. He held a moment of reflection as he stared into the endless abyss of stars, dotted by the solitary planet and moon in the distance. Occasionally, a patrolling TIE flew by, but the _Finalizer’s_ presence in the starscape was momentarily dwarfed as he considered how immeasurable the universe was, and when all of the pieces lined up it would be _his_.

His gloved fingers absentmindedly traced the frame of his personal datapad; it contained footage from Dameron’s interrogation. From the corner of his eye, he watched for Kylo Ren before looking at the muted footage one last time.

Most of the footage was mundane. The parts that weren’t… well, Hux almost wished he would erase his memory of what he’d learned about Kylo. That Kylo had a past, and that past still had a secret grip on the Force user.

And at the end of the holovid...

He couldn’t get the image of Kylo removing his helmet in front of the prisoner out of his head. An act so incredibly intimate… he hated that he secretly wanted to have ownership of that privilege. To see the man unmasked. Laid bare.

It had only been for a moment, but that gesture, for a damned Resistance pilot? His jaw tensed as he deactivated the holovid. The datapad clattered on the narrow viewport ledge. He leaned forward and he pressed his open palms against the flat surface to push his back into a deep, tired stretch.

 _Kylo._ His hands trembled as he clenched his fists, trying to shut out the memory of their encounter in his refresher. The remnants of Kylo’s surprising deft tongue and hands on his body, that warmth engulfing his cock, the teeth grazing him ever so slightly. The heightened awareness of the pleasure coursing alongside the traces of pain from the now-healed lacerations.

Hux felt himself growing hard, and he shifted his hips to ease the pressure. His body was suffocating, but in the halls of their ship, he called upon every single nerve in his body to behave and hide the fact that he was unraveling.

He was so tired of resisting.

“ _How_ does he do it?” he whispered, half to himself.

A creeping chill ran up his spine, like he was being watched.

“How do I do what, General Hux?”

Hux spun around, startled and backed into the viewport ledge. He hadn’t heard the door open. How long had Kylo been standing there… watching him? Hux’s hands quickly dropped to hide his erection and he felt himself flush at the sudden presence.

“Sorry, the way you were bent over…” Kylo’s lurid smile was half-hearted as he dropped his helmet next to a console with a heavy _thud_. “I didn’t want to interrupt the view.”

Hux tried not to remember how easily he had removed it in Dameron’s presence, and let the pangs of jealously smoulder into quiet embers.

“Dameron,” he finally admitted, frowning slightly. He silently pleaded for his body to stay calm in Kylo’s presence. _Don’t let this damned man keep this choke-hold on you._ “How did you get the information out of him so quickly?”

“You’re not asking the right question.” If Kylo sensed Hux’s internal struggle, he made no gesture of the fact as he walked calmly towards the general.

Hux pursed his lips in annoyance. “Are you going to make me guess-?”

“When you want to break a man, you have to think like the man. I ask myself: _‘What do they want?’_  Then I dive into their precious little minds, divulge in the absurdity of their meaningless desires, and turn them against them. Instead of wasting hours on your archaic torture devices and crude serum.”

“You can’t criticize my methods when you use the Force as a crutch,” Hux spat at the insult.

“Have some imagination,” he said cooly, moving in closer to Hux. “Soldiers like Dameron wear their pride on their sleeve, and it’s not difficult to figure out how to use it to cripple them.” Kylo’s voice deepened for moment. “For some men, there is no greater threat than being tempted by the other side.”   

Hux considered his err for a moment. Kylo was right. By breaking the mold, the Force user had secured the information without laying a hand on the prisoner.

“And men like me?” Hux needed to know.

“Every man has a tell. You apply the pressure and choose what you want them to surrender.” He raised a gloved finger under the general’s chin to gently lift Hux’s head up. Hux’s breath hitched, but his self-restraint faded and his head obeyed the man’s touch.

Kylo smiled at Hux’s complicated expression.

“Now you’re learning.”


	6. Dark Benediction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hux.” Kylo moaned his name in his throat like a dark benediction.  
> \---  
> Kylo and Hux establish some boundaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all soooo much for your patience, and thank you again to White_Rainbow for encouragement and editing. :) Please check out her Hux dom fic, [Long Confidence](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5795806), if you get the chance. <3
> 
> I always loved the idea of the Force being this persistent, malevolent veil around the dark users. Kylo is going to wrestle with it, and Hux is going to have to find a middle ground if they want to keep it going.

“Now you’re learning.”

Kylo traced his jawline, mapping Hux’s strong features with tempered movements that bordered on a subdued form of reverence. The general flinched in agitation at the attentiveness. Kylo’s gaze darkened with an unsettling confidence that chipped the edges of the general’s mental bastion.

“Ren…this is neither the time, nor the place. I’ve had a long day, and I didn’t reserve this room to _entertain_ you,” Hux said, sharply as he fought the urge to lick, no, _suck_ the leather digit as it slid across his lower lip with a possessive caress. He moved to swat away the exploratory touch with the back of his hand, but Kylo’s reflexes were faster and he caught the general’s wrist in a tight grip.

“Then let’s fix that, General. If I recall the last time we had a private discussion, you responded fairly well.” He wet his lips and his eyes picked up a playful gleam.

Hux looked away and swallowed, but he couldn’t deny the delicious memory of how Kylo had indulged him with his tongue only days earlier.

“I know that interrogations stir you up,” Hux said, “but some of us keep an army on its heels. I’m not about to decompress when you’re at the advantage.”

Hux had been on his feet for a day and a half after Kylo’s mission on Jakku, and he needed to rest before next emergency dragged him through enough stress to break even the resolute general. As much as he wanted to satisfy Kylo’s deceptively inviting offer, his body pleaded to pass out in his private chambers.

“Your chamber isn’t far. I know a few ways we could decompress between your bedsheets,” the knight offered.

Hux bristled with discomfort before he reminded himself that Kylo hadn’t tugged that thought from his head, coincidental as it was. “You’re not amusing.”

“Or how about we stay here and turn in for the night, over that incredibly uncomfortable desk of yours?”

Hux hated himself for considering that before his gaze fell to the quiet entryway. There was a shift rotation happening soon. The thought of a pair of Stormtrooper guards walking in on their leaders in a naked tangle made the general want to jump out of an airlock.

“General Hux,” Kylo said in a chiding tone as he followed Hux’s gaze to the entryway.  He cornered him against the viewport wall and rested his hands against Hux’s hips. “Between the stream of missions, reports, and training, you don’t think I’ve learned to cover our tracks?”

Despite Kylo’s assurances, even in the dead of night, there was the rising risk of getting caught, and that risk pinned Hux between aroused thrill and abject alarm. Hux grit his teeth and mentally pleaded with himself to retreat.

 _The_ Finalizer  _is not a luxury ship in a sordid holodrama,_ he reminded himself. _We have_ _orders._

“Ren, I do not have the time for _distraction_ ,” Hux hissed.

Hux’s breath hitched as Kylo leaned into him; the damned man was so deceptively _strong_. A disquieting smile appeared on Kylo’s face as he pressed his hardened member against Hux’s own erection, feeling the telltale bulge of the general’s ‘distraction’ under their tantalizingly thin uniform slacks.  He shifted his hips, an obvious attempt to show Hux that he wasn’t just going to ignore how incredibly hard they both were.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Hux breathed. “Why did it have to be you?”

Kylo leaned in to kiss him, the general reciprocating with pleasure, cradling the warmth of Kylo’s mouth. He parted his lips for Kylo’s eager tongue and moaned softly as the man explored, licked and bit, desperately delving into Kylo’s mouth like a drowning man seeking a diving bell.

Tension escaped his body as his hands traveled up, finding themselves weaving through Kylo’s dark curls. As his grip tightened he realized the slight tremble had left his hands, and he moved his tongue in deeper. He closed his eyes and savored the rough embrace, lost in the moment as they held each other against the unfathomable backdrop of stars.

“ _Hux_.” Kylo moaned his name in his throat like a dark benediction.

“We can’t-” The protest died in Hux’s throat as he heard the snaps on his pants unfasten, his zipper being slowly pull down. He stared at the ceiling and groaned as the heat rose in his body.

“There’s nobody stopping us but _you_.” Kylo said, tugging at his waistband. “Don’t ask me to stop this time. Tell me what you need. Tell me how we can occupy our time in this room. In your room. Anywhere you’d like me to have you.”

Hux went rigid, the temperature in the room dropping a few degrees, making the hair on the back of Hux’s neck stand.

Hux strained to stay professional, to bottle up his needs and revisit them when it was more convenient. But he was tired of fighting it, and it was so easy to surrender himself with the knight.

_Tell him how you want him to defile you._

His thoughts felt his own, and yet seemed like an unfamiliar visitor plucking a chord within him, encouraging him.

_Tell him the future you want with him._

When the vision came, it was all he could see.

_\----_

_Kylo’s voice was thick with hate. “Tell me how I should break you tonight, General.”_

_Hux was naked, both blindfolded and bound by an artful ensemble of rope, and knelt on the cold ground before Kylo. He was being punished, and his body had been a willing canvas for the dark bruises Kylo gifted him with in the isolated antechamber. He strained to stay still, knowing it would only feed Kylo’s impatience._

_Their relationship had evolved to the point where they knew how to address the other’s needs, and Hux savored the reaction he evoked in Kylo when he refused to obey._

_Kylo grabbed wrapped a hand around his throat, dropping his voice to deliver a soft threat. “I’ll have to keep your mouth occupied with something else until you’re willing to speak, then.”_

_Kylo shoved two fingers crudely into Hux’s mouth, sliding in over that stubborn tongue and into the tightness in the back of his throat, choking off his air until he buckled and gagged against him._

_“Will you behave now, General Hux?” He removed his fingers and gave Hux a hard slap._

_The general turned his head and swallowed hard to catch his breath, but the knight tugged on the thin cord that was wrapped tight around his cock and balls._

_“I didn’t give you permission to move.”_

_The pain was beautiful, blinding, and the cord stopped pulling just as he screamed, riding on the cusp of agony. He needed more._

_A cruel, wistful voice breathed into his ear. “Only if there was something else I could do with that filthy mouth of yours.”_

_“Please,” Hux begged._

\----

Hux felt as though he was coming up for air, gasping and struggling to free himself from the vision.

_Tell him about all the rules you want to break._

And yet he was unable to stay afloat for long as the voice dragged him deeper still.

\----

_Their armor was piled carefully in a corner of the room. Their musky, battle-honed scent filled the air, and Hux moved under their sweaty bodies with complete deference._

_Hux was on his hands and knees, being fucked from both ends by two off-duty Stormtroopers. His notable ginger locks and stern face were safely hidden under a custom leather mask. They wouldn’t recognize him from his body alone._

_The rougher one, with a designation number that Hux had forgotten in the first hour, twitched inside of him. The pressure of the man’s painfully thick member made hot tears sting his eyes._

_The other, leaner but just as hardy, was enthusiastically abusing his throat through the sole opening of his mask, riding him and choking off his air with a disciplined enthusiasm._

_Kylo reclined in a chair a few feet from him, watching his lover being used under his orders. He had been almost too eager to oblige Hux with a solution for his rising appetite, even if it took some creative measures and an extensive search for those who carried the discretion to satisfy them._

_He shifted in chair to get a better view. “Don’t come in his mouth. I need you to finish in his ass.”_

_“Yes sir.”_

\----

_Tell him what you want him to do to you. Everything. Anything._

Another vision pushed to the surface, but Hux pushed back. He swallowed his words, but they fought, desperate to be heard, struggling to crawl out of his mouth like cockroaches.

_Tell him how hard you want him to fuck you._

How hard would it be to make some time for this?

“Kylo, I need _you_.” Hux heard his words, but they didn’t sound right. They stuck to the back of his throat like black tar. Hux’s body shuddered with a cadence of confusion.

The pain in his head intensified as he held back the extent of his needs.

“General?”

Hux knew that Kylo also felt something was off, and it was the man’s suspended reaction that confirmed his own misgivings.

_The uncomfortable warmth in his body. The tightness in his neck. The subtle movement in Kylo’s fingers. The glaze in the Force user’s dark eyes as he maintained his concentration._

“I need... “ Hux’s voice dropped, cheeks warm.

Kylo leaned forward, curious to see what was transpiring, but the general quickly moved to spit in his face, hitting the knight square on his cheek.

Kylo straightened and returned with a hard _slap_ that echoed across the room. Hux’s face stung and his vision blurred, but he jerked his head back up and gave the man a look of utter contempt. He laughed, scoffing bitterly at the Force user.

“You thought a damned _mind trick_ would work on me?” his mind struggled with his limited lexicon on Force application.

“It was too sudden,” Kylo sighed wearily, his lips dry with exertion. “I was trying to help you relax. I planted a suggestion, and the Force amplified it.”

Hux bristled. "How much did you see--"

Kylo's eyes darkened. "Enough. I've never seen these kinds of desires painted so.. vividly."

Hux burned with humiliation. He’d been a fool to believe Kylo had any capability of sheathing the Force for his sake. Bile collected in the back of his throat.

Kylo stood, unruffled, and carefully wiped the gob of spit off his face with a gray cuff as Hux waited with bated dread for him to burst with outrage at his defiance. Instead, he raised an arm to catch the veil that hung in the air and shook it loose.

The scratching, gnawing whispers that toyed with Hux’s desires faded, leaving the general breathing a sigh of relief into the soft glow of the screens around them.

The feeling of betrayal sank into his gut. He needed to keep this twisted affection bound to the confines their workplace rivalry. He needed to end these disorienting liaisons until he fell too far.

Hux’s clenched his jaw in agitation, and realized that the thought of _this_ ending made him sick.

Kylo lurked a few feet away, and Hux realized the man was giving him an exit. He considered, until he saw the expression on the knight's face. To Hux’s surprise, the hollow lines of bitterness spread across the knight’s face.

“You bore into _my_ mind and--”

“ _You._ ” Kylo spat the word like it was caustic. “Arrogantly carrying the notion that I use this as a _crutch_. The Force beats in me with every heartbeat. It engulfs everything, every decision. It even wraps around you. You can’t see it, but you’ve felt only the surface of its influence. It led me to you. It holds me to you. Every time I think of you, it works to _act_ , to make you mine in a violent epiphany.”

Kylo lifted his helmet from the side table, trailing a thumb over the hard, chrome lines. He took a deep breath. “It shows me what we can _have_. The extent of your desires. And you wish me to leave us starving, even when I grant you these moments of _clarity_?”

The room rose a few degrees and lulled into that familiar _lurch_ that happened when Kylo’s facade began to unravel. Hux could deal with Kylo’s rage, Kylo’s scheming, Kylo’s cruelty. But the glimpses of Kylo’s moments of humanity, laced with his manic methods, kept Hux on edge.

Hux stayed silent, unsure of what exactly to say.

“ _You_ are my burden, Hux,” the man bared his teeth, seething… but not directly at Hux. “But if you can’t carry confidence of developing these... undefined liaisons...”

Kylo was furious with himself, Hux realized. The man needed him. Kylo needed him, but the knight didn't know how to _ask_ when he had always _taken_. So Kylo had tried to show him, in his own fucked up way.

Kylo dropped the helmet to the floor and stalked to the corner of the room, refusing to let the general see how he trembled. Rage? Need? Hux didn’t know, but Kylo’s snarl interrupted his thoughts. “Out. Get out.”

“No,” Hux said firmly.

A console ignited into flames. The rush of heat made Hux back away, but the Force user stayed precariously close to the fire before extinguishing it with a clenched fist.

“Then get on your knees.”

\----

There was a quiet shuffle behind him, and Kylo saw that the man had _complied_. The general’s pale face was flushed, but his cold blue eyes were lit with the appetite that Kylo was looking for when he entered the room.  

Kylo’s confusion evaporated; he had only gotten a glimpse of the visions that Hux had summoned under the Force’s amplification, but he knew the gist of it. He knew what Hux needed.

“This is the last time you choose a place like this,” Hux broke the silence with an order. “Next time, it will be a place of my determination.”

Kylo nodded.

“And I’m at a disadvantage. So, as for my boundaries…”

“You want a safe wo-”

Kylo was interrupted by a flesh-eating glare from the general. Kylo stopped for a moment, savoring the fact that they were actually _establishing terms_. Rules anchored their situation to reality, it helped solidify that _this_ was in fact, _real_.

Hux was surrendering himself.

“You need a leash,” Hux growled at the smile that edged across Kylo’s lips.

“All right. What word calls the stops, General Hux?”

The word slipped out of the man’s mouth like an oath.

“ _Ben._ ”

It hit Kylo like a sucker-punch. In one swift blow, Kylo felt his knees close to buckling. _My interrogation with Dameron. A specter from my childhood._ Hux had his countless secrets, but Kylo had revealed one of his own in a moment of weakness. “Oh. You arrogant bastard.”

The general always had a hand to play, and he would be wise to remember that.

Hux watched him carefully.

Kylo moved to unfasten his belt. “Let’s begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger! 
> 
> This chapter actually evolved quite a bit from where I initially planned to take the duo. White_Rainbow helped me out a ton in making sure I persisted. <3 Thank you again!


	7. Fervor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Will you make this worth my time, general?” Kylo’s voice dropped low, playful and wicked. He reached out and traced Hux’s pale face softly, possessively, feeding the hungry shiver that responded to the knight’s touch.
> 
> As much as he hated to admit it, Kylo was possibly worth it.
> 
> Hux’s voice hardened. “If you’re willing to accept the consequences of having me, Ren.”
> 
> \---
> 
> Some smexy and some drama. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insanely sorry about the delay. Wanted to rewrite the direction it was going and got caught up in real life business. Thank you for reading!

“Then let’s begin.”

Kylo’s tone sent a chill down Hux’s spine.

Lights flickered in protest at the temperamental waves of Force energy as the officers’ workstation seemed to _surrender_ to Kylo’s presence. General Hux had hoped to escape his divided thoughts through work, but the knight was not a presence one could escape when caught in its grasp. The smoking terminal clouded the small room, spilling gray mist around the two men until they were blanketed in a soft haze.

 _Making it his own_ , Hux thought with trepidation.

For a fleeting moment, Hux pretended it was his own choice. Kylo’s pursuit of him _here_ was short-sighted. Impulsive. Risky. And so disturbingly… _thrilling_.

His instincts, wired from birth, to focus on work, to _deny_ himself, snapped one by one.

He watched with rising misgivings as the Force-user approached him, closing the gap between them with a smooth stride. Hux kept his hands folded behind his back and focused on steadying their slight shake.

“Will you make this worth my time, general?” Kylo’s voice dropped low, playful and wicked. He reached out and traced Hux’s pale face softly, possessively, feeding the hungry shiver that responded to the knight’s touch.

As much as he hated to admit it, Kylo was possibly worth it.

Hux’s voice hardened. “If you’re willing to accept the consequences of having me, _Ren_.”

Kylo casually swept away a loose strand of hair from Hux’s forehead. Hux blinked in confusion, disarmed at the gentleness.

Until he realized he couldn’t move.

Kylo’s eyes glinted in a dark fervor as his tongue swept across his lips. He gave no voice to what was happening, but Hux immediately recognized the familiar, invisible grip that had seized him. He hissed, feeling his pulse thundering in his head as the knight gracefully moved his free hand, leashing him with a pulse of Force energy.

“The way you respond… I’ve never had an addiction to someone like this.”

Hux let out a slight gasp as the grip tightened. Kylo watched him carefully, humming a note of satisfaction when he saw the cruel intimacy was not unwelcome. Hux flushed pink with shame, lightheaded, his pants straining in response to the constriction as the fading trivialities of rank and rivalry slipped away.

A quiet laugh escaped the knight, drawing a sharp glare from Hux.

“I’m not used to seeing someone _enjoy_ it,” Kylo mused endearingly as he tightened his grip.

Small, needy whimpers Hux didn’t recognize escaped from his lungs, drawing a satisfied smirk from Kylo.  

 _Please._ The plea skirted the back of the general’s mind.

“Patience, Hux.” Kylo pressed the back of his cold hand against his cheek, the knight’s eyes dark and contemplative. With a quiet sneer, he snapped his fingers, releasing the Force’s chains. “I’ll take you when I’m good and ready.”

Hux fell forward, catching himself on the cold floor as he caught his breath, Kylo’s promise making his pulse thunder in his head.

A quiet shuffling sound above caught his attention. With a deft finesse, the knight had discarded the top layers of his dark robes, before working the other layers off until only his pants and boots remained. Kylo’s silhouette was outlined by honed muscle, his naked chest beautiful in the soft glow of the starscape in the viewport.  

He smiled, following Hux’s gaze, as his hands moved swiftly down to his waistband. Hux breathed in sharply, abandoning his last remnant of a contingency plan when he saw how dauntingly large the bulge in the knight’s pants was.

“ _Ren_ ,” he bit his tongue at the sight.

The knight unfastened his slacks briskly, letting them fall part way down his hips. A trail of dark hair led from Kylo’s lean pelvis into his gray smallclothes; Hux’s gaze widened, pulled to the generous outline of the knight’s thickness.

Sweat collected on Hux’s brow as a voice whispered in the back of his mind.

 _Beg for it._  

Kylo slowly fondled himself through the fabric barrier, working the length upwards until the head of his cock slid out of the waistband to tease directly at Hux’s eye level. “I’m going to enjoy every inch of you. Starting with that stubborn mouth.”

“Get on with it,” Hux said, failing to sound obstinate.

Kylo grabbed a handful of Hux’s tousled ginger locks and reined him in, until the general’s face hovered a hair’s length away from his cock. Hux hesitated, his chest aching at the pressure, and he stifled a pained yelp as the knight gripped harder, reminding him that he was there to serve.

Without thinking, Hux leaned forward and opened his mouth, grabbing the fabric of Kylo’s waistband with his bare teeth.

 _Let’s find out who wants this more,_ Hux thought as he moved the knight’s smallclothes down, inch by inch, freeing Kylo’s cock from its confines.

“Suck it,” Kylo ordered firmly.

Hux obliged, leaning forward and positioning his head to cautiously start on the head of Kylo’s cock. He strained to lick and gently suck along the shaft, testing, suddenly feeling disarmed and completely out of his element.

Kylo made a chuffed sound, and a slight rage boiled in Hux, furious that the knight was insulting his effort.

His focus shifted on the sensitive underside of the head, pursing his lips to suck harder against the hard member, grazing his teeth over the flushed skin to see if that drew any response from the knight. It finally _did_ , and he low moan from Kylo. Hux swallowed, collecting his wits as his tongue back up, sliding over the slit, lapping up the slight bit of precum that had budded as a small victory.

“General, I know you can do more than that.”

Kylo yanked Hux’s head away. The general panted, his pale skin glistening with sweat from his effort. His visioned bled red, incensed at the accusation, and he hated himself for mourning the absence of Kylo in his mouth. He lashed back, “Make it worth my effort, Ren.”

Before he could react, Kylo seized the the back of Hux’s head with one hand and forced his cock down the man’s throat. Hux gagged, filled to the brink with the hard member, and the knight leaned in, pressing harder. Hux’s jaw and throat ached with pain, and he felt Kylo’s cock press at the back of his throat.

Panic set in.

His thoughts blurred with the sound of Kylo abusing his mouth. _Deep, too deep, I can’t breathe_ \-- but the man only gripped him tighter. Hux struggled fruitlessly against him, feeling the knight thrusting hard against the resistance until a throaty gag invited the tip of the swollen cock into the tight confines of the general’s throat. Hux’s eyes watered at the breach, and the slight burn of pain mixed came surprising with a vulnerable satisfaction of being _filled_.

And just as quickly, Kylo pulled it back out, and Hux finally understood what powerlessness felt like. His throat was raw, sore, used. He opened his mouth to curse, but the knight threw his a poisonous look.

“Don’t fight back,” Kylo ordered. “Hold on and don’t let me go until I’m done fucking your face.”

Hux tried again as Kylo shoved himself back in, without warning, but it wasn’t long until Kylo withdrew again.

“Stop pushing back.” Kylo urged him. “You’re still fighting me.

“ _I can’t_ ,” Hux rasped, his voice strained with stress.

Kylo looked down at the beautiful man. “You _can_. That part of you, where you bury that stubborn resistance… I could snuff it out. I could make you fully accept me, and there would be nothing left of you to fight back.” The words were terrifying, but the knight uttered them without any malevolence. It wouldn’t benefit him to break the man… yet. “But I won’t. I’ll teach you to trust me. _Let me in._ ”

With a gentle touch of Force energy, he brushed against Hux’s mind. The general was tangled with indecision. Kylo realized Hux was trying, truly trying, to please him.

_Relax._

He wrapped them in a light blanket of Force energy; not enough to make the general uncomfortable, but enough to dampen the general’s anxiety. Hux breathed in through his nose, his eyelashes fluttering slightly.  

Hux parted his lips again, calmer, inviting him to press his cock back into the general’s warm mouth. Kylo obliged but relaxed his pace enough to reward the general’s invitation with a shallow rut, allowing the man to set the pace.

 _Use your tongue more,_ Kylo offered, as he stroked the general’s face in quiet reflection. Hux obeyed, moving it hungrily around him, massaging it with hard strokes. Kylo sucked in a breath. “Yes,” he groaned as he felt Hux moan around his cock at his reaction. The quiet reverberations sent chills down the knight’s spine.

“What else can that mouth of yours do, General?”

Hux responded with _something_ , muffled by Kylo’s rising thrusting. He looked up at Kylo with a slight scowl but relaxed his jaw, and the knight felt the general adjust around him, keeping pace, and took Kylo in deeper even as tears welled in his eyes.

Hux hummed a note of satisfaction as Kylo fucked his mouth harder, thrusting in him with a solid intensity at the fading resistance. Hux was being broken, taught how to serve, and it was obvious the rigid general was enjoying the thrill and degradation of being used.

It soon became a challenge to see who would surrender first; Kylo, finally coming from the new depths of the general’s skill, or Hux, collapsing from exhaustion at keeping up with Ren’s unconstrained face-fucking.

The next minutes passed in a daze of sucking, low groaning, the satisfied gasps. Kylo’s favorite sound was Hux’s immodest gagging between satisfied grunts as the man seemed to bypass the need for oxygen as he kept taking the knight harder, and deeper.

Hux’s mouth was hot, and wet, and tight, and Kylo’s nerves ignited with regret when he realized that _Hux_ was winning.

The knight receded into the familiar hum of the Force. Kylo surrounded himself with it’s energy, resisting the urge to cheat and delay his orgasm with it, and focused on his partner. He peeked in on Hux’s sex-clouded mind and felt a raw energy reverberate from the general’s core. All the scheming and machinations had been shelved in the general’s mind so deep, so absent, that Kylo was almost positive he was in the wrong person’s head.

Until he tempted a deeper look and saw that Hux was acting not out of submission but out of control. Hux was _alive,_ and his ardent thoughts were thrumming in pleasure like a symphony, fueled purely by need of the knight’s responses. His need for control.   

He couldn’t tell who held the leash right now. Kylo’s power struggled against Hux’s return to unbending discipline.

Hux had methodically memorized his tremors, the shifts in his breathing, and other micro-gestures to a degree the knight felt foolish to not have noticed. Hux was already anticipating the outcome, the challenge to suck him dry and claim it as an act of defiance. Kylo admired that the man still sought a victory even as he was face-fucked by a man he hated to need.

Hate was a strong emotion, but one that was familial to Kylo. It was acceptable.

Feeling Hux shutting out everything in the galaxy but him, even for a brief moment, was worth any repercussions.

“Don’t stop,” Kylo exhaled, enjoying how damned erotic Hux moved, taking in every inch of him with fervor, like he was born to suck cock. 

 _We’ll see._ Kylo felt Hux respond as he found the right spot and sucked _just_ hard enough to send Kylo bucking uncontrollably. A wave of pleasure hit, and he felt himself brush against the red-hot brink; he was going to come, and he wasn’t ready for the man to stop _yet_. Hux continued, unrelenting, and Kylo wondered how hoarse he would be the next day.

“General,” Kylo begged, his voice betraying how close he was to losing it. He snapped his head back, breaking his eye contact with the marvelous scene of Hux catering to him until finally he couldn’t take it any longer. He felt Hux latch on, prepared, even as Kylo tried to adjust his hips for release.

He came, hard, and bit his lip at the sound of Hux choking on his warm come, trying to contain it.

“ _Swallow_ ,” Kylo squeezed his eyes tight and moaned the broken order through a deep shudder. His face was flushed, and he enjoyed the unbridled sensation of Hux desperate to swallow him, realizing that the general wouldn’t leave a job unfinished. Not even with _this_.

Hux finally slid off of the knight’s cock, inch by inch, tongue trailing along the sensitive underside, his lips swollen and wet. Kylo grabbed Hux’s collar and lifted him off the ground, bringing him into a desperate, possessive kiss. He closed his eyes and savored the taste of himself in the general's mouth.

“Hux,” he broke away, stroking himself absently, feeling the energy fold into the aftershocks that rippled through him like velvet.

"Ren--"

The shift in Hux's voice made Kylo look up sharply.

"Our time’s up,” Hux pulled away from him, sweeping a thumb across his lips with one hand and fixing his damp hair with the other.

“I’m not done yet,” Kylo protested.

“Don't act like a spoiled child,” Hux hissed back, annoyance edging his voice with a curt warning. “I don’t know what this is.. But.. “ He scowled as if he was angry at himself. “If and _when_ I want to see you, you do _not_ compromise me like this again. Discretion. This isn't up for discussion. I can't afford risks like this.”

The general slipped away and picked up his scattered datapads, his eyes tired and heavy. Kylo’s own restless gaze followed him, and he watched as Hux opened his mouth to say something else before indecision seemed to curb what the general wanted to say.

 _Don’t close me off again,_ Kylo wanted to scream, to shout, to raze the room into embers. Instead, his kept his tone steady.

“As you wish, Hux.”

Kylo stood there, quickly abandoned in the workstation. He flexed his fists, captivated and infuriated at the general's acute ability to piss him off.

Hux’s timing was impeccable; minutes later, he heard the telltale keypad beep of something trying to enter the room. The knight had already collected himself; his robe hung as it should, his impenetrable mask replaced. No questions were asked when the petty officer saw Kylo’s trademark damage on the terminal, and the knight quickly excused himself, feeling the emptiness return.

He wanted more than these fleeting generous liaisons that the general offered him.

He _needed_ more, he thought as paced.

Kylo’s frustration reached out through a wave of Force energy around him, growing with each hard footstep he took down the corridor. Hux had already retired for the evening, and he wouldn’t risk another dive into the general’s head just yet. He fed, instead, on Hux’s machine, his reach amplified by his anger as it poured through the layered sectors of the _Finalizer_. He watched Hux’s officers and troopers, blindly marching through their scripted lives like ants.

There was a serenity in the discipline of the First Order, but what caught the knight’s interest was the single note that pierced the machine.

_Resistance._

Not the same as Hux’s. Nothing near that man’s level of stubbornness.

But another mind, a small man, ice cold and wrought with panic.

He recognized it. FN-2187. The Stormtrooper from the mission on Jakku. Kylo realized that he had broken through Hux's careful conditioning; his mind fluttered wildly like a panicked bird. A lifetime of training, broken, but the facts were currently hidden from the Stormtrooper's immediate superiors.

He wouldn’t last long. Reconditioning was inevitable. It was under-reported, but Hux’s system was not without its flaws.

A wry smile tugged at the edge of Kylo’s lips. The pieces lined up, just enough to cause a little bit of chaos. A little bit of fun.

Who could resist?

He planted a seed. Just enough to give the unit a small _push_.

 _The pilot,_ he whispered into the back of FN-2187’s mind.

He would show Hux the danger of relying on the _Finalizer’_ s machinations. Watching the general unravel was always a deep pleasure. This was the level of his devotion.

He would keep it ignited, one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wanted to play off of “Ren wants the prisoner,” in the movie. ;P Now my headcanon is that Kylo did it to mess with Hux, not realizing how far the joke would go. Poor Kylo.


	8. Suspended

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He closed his eyes, wrapped his finger around his length, and wondered what would have happened if he had let Kylo continue...
> 
> Until an explosion in the distance jolted him out of his self-gratification."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the movie timeline might not line up perfectly, but I didn't wanna rehash too many scenes. XD Just enough to get the boys to where I want them. 
> 
> Apologies for any small errors, no beta.

General Hux scheduled a moment in his private chamber to collect himself. He was irritated. The knight’s troubling grip on him suspended him in a fog, and he needed to clear his head if he was going to keep up appearances. He reclined next to a small table in the corner of his private chamber, next to a large datapad and an draught that soothed his abused throat.

He ran a hand through his hair restlessly, trying to still their shake. He was distracted; his calculating gaze was weary and heavy lidded with thoughts of Kylo Ren. His other hand slid through his uniform trousers, under his briefs, and he slowly stroked his half-hard cock.

No matter what he tried, Kylo had a way of trespassing into even his most mundane thoughts. He was still splintered from the roar of his restrained desire against the unstoppable needs of his empire. He wished for an elegant answer, but a standing arrangement with someone as unpredictable as the damned Force user felt next to impossible.

He closed his eyes, wrapped his finger around his length, and wondered what would have happened if he had let Kylo continue...

Until an explosion in the distance jolted him out of his self-gratification.

 _An accident?_ He gritted his teeth, pulled the datapad towards him and tapped the screen, refreshing it for an update.

**There’s been an unsanctioned departure from Bay 2.**

“Unsanctioned-” Hux’s eyes froze on the words.

Within seconds he was on his way, almost colliding into a out-of-breath senior officer in the hall.

“An escape attempt,” he explained as he led Hux to the command deck. Both men marched with purpose, illuminated in the harsh red emergency lights that flooded the passage. “The pilot had help.”

The news of the pilot’s escape had coursed through the _Finalizer_ with reports crashing upon the general from subordinates like hailstorm, each worse than the last. He pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing in as he assessed the damage.

       An escaped prisoner aided by a traitor.

          A stolen TIE fighter in the near distance.

                A damaged launch bay still smoldering.

 _How the_ **_hell_ ** _did this happen?_

His senses heightened, acute with stress. Without time to think, Hux pulled into his tactical reservoir he could muster, acting decisively as information flooded his synapses.

He ignored the soreness in his throat as he spat commands, his cold eyes furtively absorbing the flood of data on surrounding consoles as he quickly reassured the officers edged with panic. He was trained for this. He commanded a legion. This was just a temporary blight to be dealt with.

But the sour taste of betrayal wasn’t one that would fade. Betrayal by a man his perfect machine had raised from birth and molded to the First Order’s will. The general still felt an indulgent ownership of his army. Coupled with the loss of the Resistance prisoner, the insult seared into him and fed a different kind of fury, one edged with vengeance for this _defiance_.

He had heard stories of what happened to men whose mistakes stained their careers. He wouldn’t let this become the crux of his legend.

_Ren’s going to eat this up._

He tried to push the image of the knight out of his head, but it didn’t take long for Kylo Ren to casually cascade into his domain. _Think of the devil and the devil shall appear._ Hux guarded his dismay with a sneer.

Kylo brushed it off. “Is it the Resistance pilot?”

The general felt heat rise to his face in irritation. “Yes. He had help. From one of our own.” He paused briefly, his poise tense with the admission as he tried to maintain a semblance of dignity. He turned away. “We’re checking the registars right now to identify which Stormtrooper it was.”

The Force user’s voice dropped. “The one from the village. FN-2187.”

 _How did you know without…_ He looked over and saw Kylo flinch quietly as the unspoken question crossed the general’s mind. It was just a fraction of a second, but Hux would have to address his suspicion later. He’d dropped his guard, foolishly, but he wasn’t sure how long he could keep Kylo out of his head in his vulnerable condition.

“Sir, ventral cannons are hot.”

He returned his attention to Lieutenant Mitaka. “Fire,” he ordered.

The canon trails streaked to their target with deadly accuracy. Hux nodded as they connected with their target, relief washing over him.

Closure on this escapade was drawing near; he could soon file this was as an isolated nightmare.

He felt Kylo’s gaze as he resumed his duties. It took every fiber of his willpower to avoid meeting his gaze as he pushed the faintest mote of guilt from his mind. He hadn’t left on the most pleasant terms their last liaison but he had a feeling the knight would let either of them leave this unresolved.

* * *

Time moved strangely on the _Finalizer_ , but one could always pass the time by the morbid reliability of Kylo’s outbursts.

The current victim was an unlucky envoy, Lieutenant Mitaka, who had been on the bridge hours earlier. The trembling officer hesitantly reported an update that jerked the knight out of his meditation. The droid, with _his_ map, had escaped on his father’s ship _._ In the company of the very trooper that Kylo had, in a lapse of judgement that weighed more heavily on his mind with each passing moment, preyed upon with a simple suggestion.

_Kylo had wanted to stall the machine, not bring it crashing down._

Desperate choking and pleading snapped him out of the fury.. He didn’t remember raising his arm, or catching the lieutenant suspended in mid air with a Force choke. He shook his head, withdrawing his grip as Lieutenant Mitaka crashed to the ground. Kylo glowered at him until the man, grateful for his second chance at life, fled out of the room in a desperate half-stumble.

Kylo knew his disarray was not worth the consequence of losing the map. He had to control this. He was being tested.

He needed an anchor before he did anything reckless again.

He needed Hux.

The knight paced quietly through the command room, ignoring the background noise of subdued victory cries as he extended energy outside the confines of the room. He focused, casting an invisible spotlight among the commotion to the general. He breathed in deeply with purpose, then exhaled slowly, matching his breath to the general’s, synchronising to read the man’s emotions as unobtrusively as possible.

And there it was. Unease had made it’s home on the general’s shoulders, wrapping itself around the man in dense shroud.

_General?_

Kylo wondered if he’d made a mistake. He could feel Hux’s hands, loose at his side, ball into fists at his intrusion. Soft agitation settled into the man’s brow, but he made no measure to push the knight out of his head. Kylo sighed quietly, accepting that small victory as he continued.

_You sent a subordinate to send me that information? You’re not afraid of me now, are you, general?_

Hux ignored him, but he couldn’t hide the quiet shiver that ran through his body from Kylo.

The knight could feel the hostile aura of suspicion that persisted in the general, weakened by the smoldering heat of desire. Caught at a standstill. Hux’s resistance was well-honed, and pushing against it felt like running his fingers across a sharp blade.

The general was beautiful when he wielded control.

Almost as beautiful as he when he relinquished it.

 ** _Not now._** Hux finally responded, his tone unreadable. There was a moment of pause. **_Come to me later._**

Another pause.

**_And… stay out of my damned head._ **

The knight exhaled as he severed the conversation, the lights in the room flickering as he released the Force connection to Hux’s mind.

 _Later,_ he thought to himself, disdainfully. His patience was wearing thin; he could feel their time running out. He had sent events in motion, ones that would finally bind the stubborn general to him or sever their conflicted relationship permanently.

He needed to act soon. For both their sake.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Ending was reworked to pursue another idea for the final chapters. :3


	9. Perception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo confesses to Hux but reminds him what they both need.
> 
> \------  
>  __
> 
> _What did he want?_  
>  _He traced a thumb against Hux’s jawline. “To work out our fury, of course.”_

Later brought a private invitation to Hux’s private room. It had arrived on a datapad, carefully worded, weightless in its detached tone, and brusque enough for Kylo to know that this wouldn’t be a normal social visit.

Calm filled Kylo when he realized that somehow Hux _knew_.

 _Of course Hux knows,_ he mulled at Hux seeking an edge. The general’s greatest strength and weakness was that he was infuriatingly meticulous. The man’s tempered awareness was his most dangerous asset; measured by his natural inclination to stay two steps, even after he was well beyond the point of success.

Kylo realized that Hux didn’t conceal himself away in submission; he was quietly watching and waiting. Even during their liaisons.

The game was bringing Kylo to a peak.

In another lifetime, Kylo might have felt used. Now, he felt invigorated.

He wanted to reach out and be sure, and the Force surged around him, encouraging him to have another peek at the general’s guarded artifices. But what he needed right now was a clear head, to be _present_ with Hux.

His face twisted in temptation, but he bade himself, knowing he had to play his gambit carefully. Haste was his only ally right now. To claim the general when he was trapped between lust and fury.

His body seemed to move on its own, traveling through the shadowed halls of the _Finalizer_ like he was possessed. He entered the room without ceremony, his chest pounding under his heavy layers from striding in record time.

The room was disquietingly sombre, illuminated only with a velvet cascade of soft blue light that refamiliarized him with the general’s lodging; the well-stocked personal bar (conspicuously missing a few bottles), the spartan work desk with only a sole datapad, the meticulously made bed. It took a moment for Kylo to see that Hux was tucked in the shadows, frozen like a statue, unblinking and unmoving. The knight quickly removed his helmet, placed it on the small table and turned just as Hux finally pierced the silence with a clipped tone.

“Every time my life starts to unravel, by some invisible devilment that I can’t seem to grasp... well, it’s just starting to look like more than just a coincidence.”

“General…”

“Be _very_ careful with what you plan to say next, Ren.”

The quiver at the corner of the general’s shaky voice signaled the tell-tale glint of broken glass. Kylo’s perplexion dissolved when he matched their presence to the missing liquor bottles in the wet bar. He breathed in, and smelled the aftermath of Corellian whiskey, Bloodsour and whatever else had been smashed against the wall in dark swashes that looks like splattered blood in the low light.

So. Hux _had_ discovered the loose bolt in his machine that had afflicted him.

“Well done, Hux.” Kylo’s congratulatory tone made the words sound like a taunt. “Now...? Did you bring me here for something?”

“Other than treason?” Hux stared intently at him, quietly gauging his words with judgement etched in his icy gaze. He had brought Kylo here to be cross-examined, but the sudden admission twisted him even further.

“Treason was in your direct ranks, not mine.”

“ _What?_ ”Hux remained unforgivably still, his voice heavy with a combination of liquor and spent fury.

“FN-2187 was considering defection, well before Jakku. He was reticent to address it and buried it. I loosened it, curious to see what he would do. I planted a suggestion that drew light upon it.” Kylo sighed, feigning boredom. “The Force did the rest.”

Hux’s mouth dropped open for a second, like he couldn’t believe that Kylo was admitting it. He finally shook his head and leaned out of his corner.

“You _corrupted_ my soldier out of curiosity?”

Kylo tried not to stare. The general was half-dressed, his thread-bare sleeveless tank pinned to his muscular body with sweat. His voice was sodden with frustration, anger, and a small bite of liquor.

“Did you want him to escape with the pilot?”

Kylo smiled. “And if your men had done their jobs, they would have been caught. I can’t be expected to do all the work for you.”

“You will not blame this on my men.” Hux threw back the glass of dark liquor he’d been palming, swallowing it with a grimace in hope that the burn would make him forget that Kylo Ren had _encouraged a Stormtrooper to_ ** _steal_** _the Resistance pilot_.

“Should I expect a disciplinary hearing?”

Hux grabbed Kylo by the neck, “You insolent--”

“Don’t waste my time with half measures, General,” he breathed. “You’re using this as an excuse. An excuse to _feel_. If you want a reconsideration in our arrangement, I doubt you’ll find anyone who brings this starved side out of you.”

“You exploit a flaw that you generated and you want me to _appreciate how it makes me feel_?” Hux finally growled, his voice thick with sarcasm, his steel eyes shining with indignation.

“Anger is a tool. One we both know too well.“You’ve happily exploited mine for a long time, on assignments… not to mention,” he murmured against Hux’s neck, “and enjoyed it behind closed doors, daresay, with pleasure.”

Hux grit his teeth, hating himself just as much as he hated the knight for chaining him into this _mistake._ For threatening everything he’d sacrificed, just when he was at the cusp of galactic triumph.

“What do you want?” he asked.

The temperature around them dropped several degrees. The Force energy was cold, unsettling, and tempered to a point that filled Hux with dread. Kylo closed his eyes, his nerves ablaze with the distant pain of keeping the energy subdued.

“To work out our fury, of course.”

Hux drew a step back defiantly, matched calmly by Kylo, who eyed him disdainfully as he parted out of the dark corner and back into the soft glow of emergency lighting, enveloped in the red light like a warning. His eyes follow him shrewdly as his dipped into his mind.

_What are you afraid of me finding?_

The voice crawled into his head like needles under his fingernails.

Hux’s feet felt like lead as he moved towards the entry door. He wasn’t sure if it was Kylo’s energy dragging him down or his own trepidation stalling each step, furious, telling him not to leave again until this was _handled_.

Kylo was deathly quiet, and a distant voice warned Hux not to be swept up, dragged away in this riptide closer and closer to the knight with each swell… until he lost all will to resist.

His fingers ran over the door pad, without hesitation, keying in a denial of access code.

Nobody would be able to interrupt, not unless they brought a battalion.

“General,” Kylo’s voice was soft, inquisitive, an unasked question heavy in the air. 

Hux swallowed, ire knit in his brow.

He couldn’t bury what was still alive.

“You already know the answer.”


End file.
